We're surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It's tempting to think it's because the people who use them don't care -- just like the people who make them. But what we've shown is that people do care. It's not just about aesthetics. They care about things that are thoughtfully conceived and well made.

The implication, of course, is that they're prepared to pay for that thoughtfulness.

Ive put it like this: "We make and sell a very, very large number of (hopefully) beautiful, well-made things. Our success is a victory for purity, integrity -- for giving a damn."

He believes his job is making technology personal and he believes that the relationship people have with Apple products is intimate. (Oh, of course, he vaguely, slightly hinted at an intimate iWatch. But he wasn't going to actually say anything, was he?)

Asked whether all the lining up outside Apple stores to wait for the latest thing isn't intimately insane, he replied: "It's a demonstration against thoughtlessness and carelessness."

I bet you've never thought of it that way. You always thought it was just a bunch of style-obsessed, superficial groupies who are vacuous in the extreme. (At least Samsung thinks so.)

Talking of Samsung -- which Ive specifically did not -- there is talk (and legal action) suggesting the Korean company (and others) occasionally mimics the work of Ive and his team.

Copying clearly annoys him. "It's theft," he said.

He added: "What's copied isn't just a design, it's thousands and thousands of hours of struggle."

Quiet struggle, though. Ive described a "pre-verbal" understanding at Apple about what everyone is trying to achieve.

Apple only gets verbal during the fancy presentations. And when it sues you, of course.